Brake-beam fulcrum.



W. E. FOWLER, JR. BRAKE BEAM FULCHUM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, I915.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

k A W M k H J W 4 w W M 1 i W. E. FOWLER, JR. BRAKE BEAM FULCRUM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. s. 1915'.

"Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- llllTD TAT AEN FFTQE.

WILLIAM E. FOWLER, JR., 0]? HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB T0 AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BRAKE-BEAM FULCRUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2d, 1915.

Application fi1ed=February 6, 1915. Serial No. 6,448.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, -WILLIAM E. FOWLER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hammond, in the county of Lake and. State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in llakc- Beam Fulcrums, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to b 'ake beams and has particular reference to a novel fulcrum for use in connection therewith.

The fulcrums or struts in use in different forms of trussed beams have been the subject of much study and experiment, the object being to produce such a fulcrum which shall have the requisite strength, rigidity, simplicity of manufacture and economy in original cost.

- A particular object in the construction of the present fulcrum is to provide for the utmost econon'iy, this being secured in the present instance by selecting materials which may be worked in their cold state thus avoiding the expense of heating to a forging or welding temperature. Many forged fulcrums have been proposed but each thereof requires the use of expensive machinery, the heating and reheating of the materials, etc. In my construction I have selected a standard shape of rolled steel which may be sheared to the proper length. slightly bent in the cold state to the required form and then secured in proper relation by spot welding. This type of welding is effective and serves to hold the parts together as securely as rivets of the same diameter.

A further object is to provide in such a fulcrum a simple means for elongating or increasing the bearing area for the pin. This is secured in the present structure by spot welding in each of the side members, a segment of metal. this ,having the double function of increasing the width of the bearing and )rovide a plane surface with which the brake lever may cooperate.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fulcrum constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. l is a section on the line t-l of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view of the blank which forms the engaging lip for the coinpression member prior to the bending of the blank; Fig. 6 is an end view ofthe blank after having been bent; Fig. 7 is a face view of the segment used to increase the areaof the pin bearing; Figs. 8 and J are sections on the lines 88 and $)9 re spectively of Fig. 7; and, Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the trilssnod saddle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that the fulcrumconsists of side plates 10, ll, preferably of a curved shape in cross section. as best shown in Fig. 4. This section is standard and may be purchased cheaply. The ends 12, of the plates are bent cold into a flat shape and engage the two ends 13, of a strap H, which serves to engage the compression member of the beam. This strap, as best shown in Figs. 5 and (3, may be formed from a blank cut to the form shown in Fig. 5, and bent on the dotted lines 15, of the blank. The free ends 13.are brought together and electrically welded and thereafter the ends 12, of the plates are spot welded thereto. asindicated by the dotted lines 16, in Figs. 1 and 2. The opening through the strap may be slightly tapered, as best shown in Fig. 1, in order to accommodate a wedge fastening device, which feature. however, forms no part of this invention. The plates or side members l0. 11. being of inadequate cross section and of a curved shape, would not provide for the requisite area of bearing for a pin as required by the Master Car Builders Association. I have therefore located at the proper point a segment 17, of metal, one face of which is plane and the other curved. corresponding to the arc of curvature of the plates. This segment is. of course, apertured to register with the aperture 18. in the side member. After being suitably located these segments are spot welded in position as indicated by the dotted lines 19. in Figs. 1 and The opposite ends 20. of the side members are bent into scmi-circular form and snugly engage the cylindrical stud 21. of the truss rod saddle 22. The saddle likewise secured in proper relation to the side members by spot welding. as indicated by the dotted circles 2 in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the construction of a fulcrum as described no heating to a welding temperature or to a forging temperature is necessary,

the simple bending operations being performed cold the only h at applied being local in the spot welding operations. Such 'a fulcrum may be constructed very cheaply,

provides the necessary strength, gives a requisite pin bearing and has the advantages of a cast fulcrum with the utmost economy in cost of construction.

Obviously the construction is capable of considerable modification and such modifications as are within the scope of my claims I consider .within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. I11 a fulcrum, the combination of side members of curved form both of which are flattened at one end. a compressi(in-memberengaging strap the ends of which are bent to lie in a plane corresponding to that of the flattened ends of the side members, and a trussrod saddle the parts being united by welding to form a substantially integral structure, substantially as described.

2. In a fulcrum. the combination of side members which are curved in cross section, a compression-member-engaging portion, a truss rod saddle the parts being united by welding, and segmental tillers located at the pin hole in said side members and adapted to increase the bearing area thereof, substantially as described.

3. In a fulcrum, the combination of a pair of side members one end of each of which is flattened and the other end curved to a shorter radius than the curve of the side members,' a c0111])ression-meinber-engaging portion having a PIOJCCtiOIl corresponding to the flat ends of said side members, and a truss rod saddle having a cylindrical projection and adapted to fit the other ends of said side members and parts being suitably united by welding, substantially as described.

4. In a brake beam, the combinat on of compression member, tension member, and fulcrum, said fulcrum being composed of t'wo.side members, a compression-memberengaging part, and a truss rod saddle, the parts being separately bent to shape and electrically welded into substantially an integral structure. substantially as described.

5.- In a brake beam, the combination of a channel compression member, round rod tension member, and a fulcrum. said fulcrum being composed of curved side members of relatively thin section and provided with a pin bearing greater than the section of metal of said side members, a channel-engaging strap having an angular projection, and a round rod saddle having a cylindrical projection, the parts being separately formed and united by welding, substantially as described.

6. In a fulcrum, the combination of a strap bent into angular outline, the ends of the strap projecting at right angles from the body of theangular outline, a pair of side plates and a truss rod saddle, said plates being welded to said saddle and to the projecting ends of'said strap, substantially as described.

7. In a fulcrum, the combination of a pair of side plates having a space therebetween for the accommodation of a brake lever, a truss rod saddle and a compression member engaging part, said part being composed of a forging bent to the shape of the compression member and provided with ears which project at right angles from the body of said part. said part. said plates and said saddle being welded together to form a substantially integral structure, substantially as described.

\VILLIAM 1C. FOWLER, JR.

IVitnesses VM. C. LEIMBACH, J12, 

